The Meriam House

"The challenge of this historic structure report has been to separate the myths from the facts about the Meriam House property"--Preface.

The greatness of America is right under our feet. The American past—the people, battles, industry and homes—can be found not only in libraries and museums, but also in hundreds of archaeological sites that scientists investigate with great care. These sites are not in distant lands, accessible only by research scientists, but nearby—almost every locale possesses a parcel of land worthy of archaeological exploration. Archaeology in America is the first resource that provides students, researchers, and anyone interested in their local history with a survey of the most important archaeological discoveries in North America. Leading scholars, most with an intimate knowledge of the area, have written in-depth essays on over 300 of the most important archaeological sites that explain the importance of the site, the history of the people who left the artifacts, and the nature of the ongoing research. Archaeology in America divides it coverage into 8 regions: the Arctic and Subarctic, the Great Basin and Plateau, the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains, the Midwest, the Northeast, the Southeast, the Southwest, and the West Coast. Each entry provides readers with an accessible overview of the archaeological site as well as books and articles for further research.

This report is divided into six chapters. Chapter I is the "administrative data" section, which documents the significance of the house, National Park Service involvement, and proposed use and treatment. Chapter II is an "architectural history" that describes the evolution of the house and its site, from its original construction circa 1705 to the present time. Also described is an earlier Meriam house that is believed to have been located nearby on Lexington Road, which was also standing on April 19, 1775. Chapter III is an architectural description of the existing Meriam House, its outbuildings, and other buildings on the former Meriam farm. Chapter IV provides recommendations for the future treatment of the house. Chapter V contains the appendices, including a survey of existing maintenance conditions and recommendations for repairs. Chapter VI is a bibliography of sources.